1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an indicator device for indicating that a heat exchanger has been disassembled, inspected, reconditioned and subsequently reassembled and rebrazed. More particularly, this invention relates to a flexible strip for threading through the inlet or outlet port around at least one tube and back through the same or opposite port of a heat exchanger, the ends of the flexible strip being sealed to indicate that the heat exchanger has been reassembled and rebrazed after being disassembled, inspected and reconditioned.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Heavy earth moving equipment and tractors have heat exchanger elements for cooling oil circulating through the engine and hydraulic equipment. These heat exchange units become clogged with carbon and other debris after prolonged usage. Customarily, such heat exchangers have been removed from the earth excavating equipment and have been discarded since the cost of a new heat exchanger is negligible relative the cost of the equipment. Reconditioned heat exchangers provide a cost savings to the purchaser; however, there is presently no positive indication that such heat exchanger has been reconditioned.
Contaminated heat exchangers are salvaged by first melting the brazed joint between the tube plate and housing. The tube bundle is then removed from the housing for cleaning, inspection and repair. The now reconditioned tube bundle is placed back into the housing and is rebrazed to the housing. The problem with this procedure is the purchaser/user is not provided with any assurance that the heat exchanger was disassembled and reconditioned since it is almost impossible to tell an old brazed or welded joint from a new joint.
The present invention seeks to overcome this problem by providing an indicator device which includes a strip or flexible material which can only be threaded through the heat exchanger after the heat exchanger has been disassembled so that when the heat exchanger is reconditioned and subsequently reassembled and rebrazed, the respective ends of the strip of material are sealed together to indicate to the perspective purchaser of the heat exchanger that such heat exchanger has been disassembled, inspected, reconditioned and subsequently reassembled and rebrazed.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for indicating to a perspective purchaser of a heat exchanger that the heat exchanger has been disassembled, inspected for breaks or defects which allow the coolant fluid and cooled fluid to mix, reconditioned, reassembled and rebrazed by brazing the joint between the tube plate and housing thereby overcoming the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a flexible strip of material for indicating that a heat exchanger has been disassembled, inspected, reconditioned and subsequently reassembled and rebrazed.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of an indicator device in which the flexible material is a strip of metal having a first and a second end with the first end threaded through the inlet or outlet port of the heat exchanger housing around at least one of the core tubes and through the same or opposite port of the heat exchanger.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of an indicator device in which the ends of the flexible metallic strip are sealed together by an indicator seal.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an indicator means which extends around the first and second ends of the threaded elongate flexible means for indicating that the heat exchanger has been disassembled, cleaned, inspected, reconditioned and subsequently reassembled and rebrazed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an indicator device which must be removed from the tube bundle before the heat exchanger unit is re-installed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an indicator device which can only be threaded through the heat exchanger after the heat exchanger has been disassembled.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an indicator device which includes caps to cover the inlet and outlet ports to prevent the entrance of dirt and debris into the blind contamination area encompassed by the area between the inlet and outlet ports within the rebrazed elongate housing of the heat exchanger while awaiting re-installation.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more pertinent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Particularly, with regard to the use of the invention described herein, this should not be construed to be limited to heat exchangers for earth moving equipment but should include indicating devices for all application to any heat exchanger unit or the like.